Electric machine

ABSTRACT

An electrical machine includes a casing including a base wall provided with a projection projecting from the base wall towards the inside of the casing. A stator includes a core having a plurality of pole shoes, a plurality of conductors wound on the pole shoes to form a plurality of coils constituting a stator winding. Insulators are interposed between the core and the stator winding. A coil of the winding has an end portion engaged with the projection for heat exchange. The insulators include a housing for a first number of turns of the coil and a second housing for a second number of turns of the coil. The first and second housings are shaped such that a layer of the turns of the end portion abutted against the projection is defined by stretches of the conductors all substantially coplanar with each other.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an electrical machine and in particular to anelectric motor of the brushless type.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, a reference prior art type of electric motor comprises acasing having inside a stator of the wound type, rigidly constrained tothe casing, and a rotor, for example with permanent magnets, rotatablyconstrained to the casing.

An electronic module or control electronics, connected to the stator, isinserted in the casing for supplying power to the stator.

A cap closes the casing to form a closed container from which connectionterminals protrude for the power supply of the control electronics.

The electrical machines used as a reference for this invention are inparticular of the sealed type, that is, sealed electrical machines.

It is known that the windings of an electrical machine, in particularthe stator windings, are made using a plurality of coils of conductingmaterial, usually copper, made of a conducting wire wound around thepole shoes of the stator ferromagnetic core of the electrical machine.

The stator comprises insulators, known in the sector with the term“front pieces”, positioned on axially opposite sides of theferromagnetic core, interposed between the winding and the pole shoes.

An electric current which may even have a high nominal value passesthrough the winding and that causes heating phenomena due to the Jouleeffect which extend over the entire dimensions of the winding and in thezones of the electrical machine adjacent to it.

In particular, it has been found that said heating phenomenon causes adeterioration of the conductivity properties of the conducting wire,which consequently produces a greater resistance to the passage ofelectric current, causing a high and often unacceptable level of energydissipation.

Moreover, the heating of the winding may cause a rapid deterioration ofthe insulating characteristics of the above-mentioned layer ofelectrically insulating material interposed between the winding and thecorresponding pole shoe, as well as excessive heating of the electronicmodule.

That situation is particularly bad in closed type rotary electricalmachines, in which the windings are immersed in the container, formed bya casing and cap, which does not have air recirculation.

A solution intended to overcome said difficulty is described in thedocument WO2009019562 in the name of the same Applicant.

In that solution, the inside of the casing is provided with a pluralityof stop portions, in the form of projections of a base wall of thecasing, against which the stator windings abut, suitably insulated, formore effective heat exchange with the cap.

In the case of high powered motors, at around one kW, the prior artsolutions are still not completely satisfactory in terms of dispersingthe heat produced in the windings.

In this context, the main aim of this invention is to overcome theabove-mentioned disadvantages.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

One aim of this invention is to provide an electrical machine in whichthe cooling of the stator winding is further improved compared with theprior art solutions.

The technical purpose indicated and the aims specified are substantiallyachieved by an electrical machine according to claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of this invention are more apparent inthe detailed description below, with reference to a preferred,non-restricting, embodiment of an electrical machine as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic partly exploded perspective view, with some partscut away for greater clarity, of an electrical machine according to thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top plan view, with some parts cut away forgreater clarity, of the electrical machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section of the electrical machine of FIG. 2according to the plane III-III;

FIG. 4 illustrates a detail of the cross-section of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates anelectrical machine according to the present invention, in particular abrushless motor.

The machine 1, having an axis R of rotation, comprises, in short, acasing 2, a cap, not illustrated, closing the casing 2, a stator 3,integral with the casing 2, a rotor and a control circuit notillustrated.

The stator comprises a ferromagnetic core 4 which has, as shown in FIG.1, an outer portion shaped as an annular crown 5 and a plurality of poleshoes or teeth 6 extending from the crown 5 towards the axis R ofrotation and each having a respective end 6 a.

The core 4, in substantially known manner, comprises a plurality ofsuperposed plates 7.

The stator 3 comprises a plurality of phase conductors 8 wound on theferromagnetic core 4, in particular on the pole shoes 6.

The conductors 8 are wound on the pole shoes 6 and form a plurality ofcoils 9 each wound on a corresponding pole shoe 6; the set of coils 9forms the so-called stator winding 10.

Each coil 9 is formed by a predetermined total number N of turns 11wound around the respective pole shoe 6.

The number of turns 11 for each coil 9, and the diameter of theconductors 8, is determined, in a substantially known manner, duringdesign of the motor, in particular as a function of the expectedperformance of the motor.

The radial and axial dimensions of the stator teeth and the diameter ofthe conductors, for example, contribute to the determination of thenumber of turns per coil.

Each coil 9 has two end portions 12, 13 which are aligned with eachother according to a direction parallel with the axis R.

The casing 2 comprises a lateral wall 14 and a base wall 15 which form acup-shaped structure.

The base wall 15 comprises a projection 16 projecting towards the insideof the casing 2 according to a direction parallel with the axis R ofrotation.

In other words, the projection 16 extends away from the lying plane ofthe base wall 15 towards an inner space of the electric motor 1, inparticular of the casing 2.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the projection 16 issubstantially annular and extends about the axis R of rotation.

The coils 9 engage with the projection 16 for heat exchange with thecasing 2 by means of the projection 16.

More precisely, the stator 3 is inserted in the casing 2 in such a waythat the coils 9 abut against the projection 16.

As illustrated, all of the end portions 12 facing towards the base wall15 of the casing 2 engage with the projection 16.

More specifically, all of the end portions 12 facing towards the basewall 15 of the casing 2 abut against the projection 16.

To guarantee suitable electrical insulation between the stator winding10 and the casing 2, the motor 1 comprises an electrical insulator 17interposed between the coils 9 and the projection 16.

Advantageously, the insulator 17 is heat conductive in such a way as tooptimise the heat exchange between the winding 10 and the casing 2.

In a preferred embodiment, the insulator 17 is in the form of a sheet ora piece of a sheet of Silpad® which guarantees suitable mechanicalstrength, thermal conductivity and electrical insulation.

In order to guarantee electrical insulation between the stator winding10 and the ferromagnetic core 4, the electrical machine 1 comprises afirst and a second insulator 18, 19, commonly known as “front pieces”,positioned between the core 4 and the coils 9.

The front piece 18, for example the front piece facing the base wall 15of the casing 2, and the front piece 19 have a radially external part 18a, 19 a which is substantially annular from which radial arms 18 b, 19 bextend, at each tooth 6, extending towards the axis R.

The front piece 19 is positioned on the opposite side to the front piece18 with respect to the core 4; the front pieces 18, 19 clasp the core 4insulating it from the winding 10.

Advantageously, the front pieces 18, 19 are shaped, in particular arelative outer surface with respect to the core 4, in such a way thatthe end portions 12 of the coils 9 abutted against the projection 16have at least one contact surface, comprising the stretches of the turnsat the end portion 12, which is substantially flat so as to maximise thesurface of heat exchange with the casing 2.

In other words, as described in more detail below, the front pieces 18,19 are shaped in such a way that at least the stretches of the outermostturns 11 with respect to the core 4, abutted against the projection 16,are all coplanar without overlapping of the conductor 8.

With reference in particular to FIG. 4, it may be observed that in thepreferred embodiment illustrated, the front piece 18 has, for each tooth6, that is, for each coil 9, a housing 20 for a predetermined number N1of turns 11 a, part of the total number N of turns 11, and a secondhousing 21 for a predetermined number N2 of turns 11 b, part of thetotal number N of turns 11.

The predetermined total number N of turns for the pole shoes 6 of themachine 1 is given by N1+N2.

The front piece 19 has, for each tooth 6, that is, for each coil 9, ahousing 22 for the turns 11 a and a second housing 23 for the turns 11b.

In an alternative embodiment not illustrated, only the front piece 18has the housings 20, 21 to optimise the distribution of the turns 11 onthe corresponding tooth 6 whilst the front piece 19 is of theconventional type.

For the sake of simplicity, reference is made hereinafter to a singletooth 6 and to a single coil 9 as all the coils 9 are preferably woundon the respective tooth 6 in the same fashion.

As illustrated, N1 turns 11 a are positioned in the housings 20, 22whilst N2 turns 11 b are positioned in the housings 21, 23.

Preferably, in order to optimise the winding of the stator 3, the N1turns 11 a are positioned in the respective housing in an even number ofsuperposed layers 24 according to a direction parallel to the axis R ofrotation.

Preferably, in order to optimise the winding of the stator 3, the N2turns 11 b are positioned in the respective housing in an even number ofsuperposed layers 25. In practice, the front pieces 18, 19, preferablythe radial arms 18 b, 19 b of the front pieces, comprise the housings20, 22 for a first part N1 of the predetermined total number N of turns11 and the housings 21, 23 for a second part N2 of the predeterminedtotal number N of turns 11 of the coil 9.

Preferably, the housings 20, 22 are aligned according to a directionparallel with the axis R of rotation.

Preferably, the housings 21, 23 are aligned according to a directionparallel with the axis R of rotation.

Preferably, the front pieces 18, 19 at the arms 18 b, 19 b aresymmetrical with respect to the ferromagnetic core 4.

The housings 20, 22 take the form of a throat which extends in the frontpiece 18, 19, in particular in the arm 18 b, 19 b, according to adirection transversal, in particular at right angles, to a statorradius.

The housings 21, 23 take the form of a throat which extends in the frontpiece 18, 19, in particular in the arm 18 b, 19 b, transversal, inparticular perpendicular, to a stator radius.

As shown in FIG. 2, the coils 9 have an enlarged portion 26, at thehousing 20, 22, extending transversely to a radial direction ofextension of the respective tooth 6.

In the preferred embodiment the housings 20, 22 are provided on the arms18 b, 19 b at the outer part 18 a, 19 a of the front pieces 18, 19, thatis, away from the end 6 a of the stator tooth according to a radialdirection.

In other words, the housings 20, 22 are provided on the arms 18 b, 19 bin a position away from the end 6 a of the respective tooth 6 in such away that the enlarged portion 26 is also away from the end 6 a of thetooth.

In this way, close to the ends 6 a of the teeth 6 there is space for thepassage of the tools, known and not illustrated, which make the winding10.

FIG. 4 shows that the housing 20 has a base wall 27 and a pair oflateral walls 28, 29 opposite each other and radially spaced.

The measurement, according to a direction parallel to the axis R ofrotation, of the wall 28 determines the depth of the housing or throat20.

The wall 28 has an upper edge 30, preferably rounded, away from the wall27 from which a base wall 31 of the housing 21 extends in a radialdirection.

The housing 21 is delimited at the radial ends by the wall 29 and by awall 32 which extends from the base wall 31 according to a directionparallel to the axis R of rotation.

The housings 22, 23 are preferably shaped, respectively, like thehousings 20, 21.

The housings 21, 23 are in practice partly superposed on the housings20, 22 according to a direction parallel with the axis R of rotation.

As mentioned above, the turns 11 a pass in the housing 20, 22 in apredetermined number and are preferably positioned in such a way thatthe layer 24 of the axially outermost turns 11 a is substantiallycoplanar with the wall 32.

In practice, a base of the housing 21, 23 is formed by the base wall 31and by the layer 24 of the axially outermost turns 11 a.

The arms 18 b, 19 b, in the portion on which the conductors 8 are wound,therefore has a step at the wall 28.

The turns 11 b are therefore wound partly on the wall 31 and partly onthe turns 11 a.

The walls 27, 28, 29, 31, 32 are designed in such a way that, given thenumber N of turns 11 and the diameter of the conductors 8, as a functionof the performance expected from the motor 1, the turns 11 b of theaxially outermost layer 25 have the stretches of conductor of the endportion 12 abutted against the projection 16 all substantially coplanarwith each other.

Preferably, the stretches of conductor of the end portion 12 abuttedagainst the projection 16 form a plane parallel to the surface of theprojection 16 facing towards the inside of the casing 2 against whichthe coils 9 are abutted.

In an alternative embodiment not illustrated, the housings for theconductors 8 provided in the front pieces 18, 19 for the coils 9 do nothave steps and preferably have a flat base.

Also in this case, the front pieces 18, 19 are shaped, in particular arelative outer surface with respect to the core 4, in such a way thatthe end portions 12 of the coils 9 abutted against the projection 16have at least one contact surface, comprising the stretches of the turnsat the end portion 12, which is substantially flat.

In this way, the heat exchange surface 16 is maximised for each coil 9.

In an example embodiment, having fixed the geometry of the ferromagneticcore 4 to obtain an output of 500 Watt, a conductor with a diameter of0.95 mm (without the insulating coating of the conductor) can be usedfor coils 9 with 34 turns.

The front pieces 18, 19 are therefore designed in such a way that twolayers 24 of six turns each pass in the housing 20, 22 whilst two layersof eleven turns each pass in the housing 21, 23, the outermost of whichhas at least the stretches of conductor of the end portion 12 abuttedagainst the projection 16 all substantially coplanar.

In an example embodiment, having fixed the geometry of the ferromagneticcore 4 to obtain an output of 850 Watts, a conductor with a diameter of1.15 mm (without the insulating coating of the conductor) can be usedfor coils 9 with 21 turns.

The front pieces 18, 19 are therefore designed in such a way that twosuperposed layers of eleven and ten turns 11 are positioned in a singlehousing for all the coils 9, the outermost of which has at least thestretches of conductor of the end portion 12 abutted against theprojection 16 all substantially coplanar.

In order to guarantee the correct positioning of the end portions 12 ofthe coils 9 inside the casing 2, in particular relative to theprojection 16, the front pieces 18, 19, that is, the walls 27, 28, 29,31, 32, are designed in such a way that the distance measured accordingto a direction parallel to the axis R of the stretches of conductor ofthe axially outermost end portions 12, that is, of the stretches ofconductor of the end portion 12 coplanar with each other from the core4, is equal to a predetermined value D.

The lateral wall 14 of the casing 2 has an annular contact surface 33extending radially towards the inside of the casing 2 against which anouter annular portion 34 of the core 4 abuts.

A preferred embodiment of a machine 1 as described above, described onlyinsofar as is necessary to understand the invention, given the number Nof turns 11 and the diameter of the conductor, designs the front pieces18, 19 and the housings 20, 21, 22, 23 in such a way that at least theturns 11 b of the axially outermost layer 25 have the stretches ofconductor of the end portion 12 abutted against the projection 16 allsubstantially coplanar.

More specifically, the number of turns 11 b is determined which,positioned in the housing 21, 23 in an even number of layers 25, have atleast the stretches of conductor of the end portion 12 abutted againstthe projection 16 all substantially coplanar and preferably positionedin a plane parallel to the surface of the projection 16 of contact ofthe coils 9.

After designing the housings, the turns N1 are wound on the stator teeth6 passing through the housings 20, 22, preferably in an even number oflayers 24.

Having defined the base of the housings 21, 23 also using the turns 11a, the layers 25 are wound, which can be positioned according to thedesign.

In order to guarantee that the above-mentioned distance measuredaccording to a direction parallel to the axis R of the stretches ofconductor of the axially outermost end portions 12 from the core 4 isequal to the predetermined value D, the stator 3 is pressed in a press,not described in detail, calibrated and controlled in height and forcebefore being inserted in the casing 2.

In general, the method comprises a step of pressing the stator winding10 according to a direction parallel to the axis R of rotation in such away as to ensure the coplanarity at least of the stretches of conductorabutted against the projection 16.

During the pressing step the predetermined distance D is alsocalibrated.

1. A method of making an electrical machine, comprising: providing anelectrical machine having an axis of rotation and comprising: a casingcomprising: a base wall transversal to the axis of rotation; at leastone projection projecting from the base wall towards the inside of thecasing according to a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, themachine comprising: a stator, comprising a ferromagnetic core having aplurality of pole shoes each having a respective end, at least oneconductor wound on the pole shoes to form a plurality of coils forming astator winding, insulating means interposed between the ferromagneticcore and the stator winding, at least one first coil of the windingcomprising a predetermined number of turns wound on a first pole shoeand having at least one end portion engaged with the projection, theelectrical machine being characterised in that at least one first layerof the turns in the end portion of the first coil is formed by stretchesof the conductor all substantially coplanar, the first layer being theoutermost of the first coil with respect to the ferromagnetic core andabutted against the projection; pressing the stator winding according toa direction parallel to the axis of rotation in such a way as to ensurethe coplanarity of the stretches of the first layer abutting against theprojection.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the insulationmeans comprise at least one housing for the first coil designedaccording to the number of turns of the first coil.
 3. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the insulating means comprise for at leastthe first coil at least a first housing for a first number of firstturns of the turns and at least a second housing for a second number ofsecond turns of the turns, the first turns being positioned in the firsthousing and the second turns being positioned in the second housing, thefirst turns and the second turns of the first coil being divided betweenthe first housing and the second housing.
 4. The method according toclaim 3, wherein the first and second housing are partly superposedaccording to a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, the secondturns at least partly superposing the first turns.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein the first turns in the first housing atleast partially form a base of the second housing.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein the insulating means comprise a firstinsulator associated with the ferromagnetic core and facing the basewall and a second insulator associated with the ferromagnetic core,positioned on the opposite side to the first insulator relative to theferromagnetic core, the first and second housings being provided atleast in the first insulator.
 7. The method according to claim 6,wherein the second insulator comprises for at least the first coil atleast a first housing for the first turns and at least a second housingfor the second turns, the first turns being positioned in the firsthousing in the first and second insulator and the second turns beingpositioned in the second housing in the first and second insulator. 8.The method according to claim 7, wherein the first housing in the firstinsulator and the first housing in the second insulator are alignedaccording to a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.
 9. The methodaccording to claim 7, wherein the second housing in the first insulatorand the second housing in the second insulator are aligned according toa direction parallel to the axis of rotation.
 10. The method accordingto claim 6, wherein the first insulator and the second insulator aresymmetrical relative to the ferromagnetic core at least at the poleshoes.
 11. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first housing isin the form of a throat which extends in the insulating means accordingto a direction transversal to a radius of the stator.
 12. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein the first housing is positioned on thefirst pole shoe in a position radially away from the end.
 13. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein the first housing is delimited by a basewall extending substantially radially, by a first lateral wall and by asecond lateral wall, the first and second lateral walls extendingparallel to the axis of rotation and being opposite each other andradially spaced.
 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein thesecond housing is delimited by a base comprising a second base wallextending radially and a layer of the first turns, by the second lateralwall and by a third lateral wall extending parallel to the axis ofrotation facing and radially spaced from the first lateral wall.
 15. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the stretches of the conductor allsubstantially coplanar forming the layer of the turns in the end portionabutting against the projection are positioned at a predetermineddistance (D) from the ferromagnetic core.
 16. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the casing has a lateral wall comprising an annularcontact surface extending radially towards the inside of the casing, theferromagnetic core comprising an outer annular portion abutting on thecontact surface.
 18. (canceled)
 19. The method according to claim 1,wherein the pressing step comprises a step of calibrating the distance.